Paving-block



No. 511,304. Patented Dec. 19, 1893.

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WASNINGTUN. O- O.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH THOMAS MAPEL, OF ANTIOOH, CALIFORNIA.

PAVING- BLOC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 511 ,304, datedDecember 19, 1893.

Application filed February 17, 1893- Serial No. 17 (NO 1110581) To allwhom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ELIJAH THOMAS MAPEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Antioch, in the county of Contra Costa and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PavingBricks or .Elocks, of which the following is a specifica- My inventionrelates to the paving of streets, roads, walks, tracks, and such places,which the public convenience, personal comfort, or a certain end to begained require to be covered with a good and substantial pavement.

The materials mostly used at the present time in the construction ofpavements are basalt blocks, bricks, asphalt and the socalled bituminousrock. These all form a tolerably good pavement when newly laid, but theyall have their drawbacks. Basalt blocks cannot be had everywhere at areasonable price, and they make a noisy and somewhat irregular pavement.Bricks are better in that they may be cut to a uniform size and shapedsmooth, but deposits of clay that will burn evenly through and make goodbrick of the usual thickness are scarce and sometimes so remote as to beof no advantage. Bituminous substances are superior to both basaltblocks and bricks in the matter of elasticity and noiselessness, butthey make a pavement that ill stands the efiects of heat and willtherefore lose its shape, eventually becoming worthless.

The object of my invention is to providea brick or block so made that itwill combine all the qualities of the above-named materials withoutpartakingof theirdisadvantages, being hard and lasting as the basaltblock, even and smooth as the ordinary brick, springy and noiseless asasphalt or bituminous rock, and making a perfect pavement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification,Figure 1 is an end elevation of one form of my improvedpaving brick or block; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of differentforms of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing my inventionin still another shape. Fig. 5 is a plan of the brick or block shown atFig. 4; and Fig. 6 is abroken cross-section of a pavement composed ofbricks or blocks slightly different in construction from but containingthe essential features of those shown in the preceding figures.

Similar parts are indicated by similar.let-

preferred. They may also be run in any given direction, whetherlengthwise or crosswise of the brick or block, so that they may lieeither horizontally, or vertically, or obliquely in the pavement intothe composition of which the bricks or blocks'enter. If lying in ahorizontal direction, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the cells orrecesses are not usually filled in, except with such material as sand orconcrete that will work itself into them when the bricks or blocks areset in place. If in a vertical or oblique position, they are filled upas illustrated in Figs. 4., 5, and 6. The filling material for the cellsor recesses of the latter class consists, preferably, of a central bodyof concrete or sand 0 and endlayers of asphalt or bituminous rock D D.That is to say, a layer of some bituminous substance is placed at thebottoms of said cells or recesses. Next comes concrete or sand, andlastly a second layer of a bituminous substance at the top. This lastlayer forms part of the surface of the pavement. The filling material isalso used in connection with the bricks or blocks whose cells orrecesses lie in a horizontal position, but then it is laid in surfacegrooves E or cavities E provided in the sides of said bricks or blocks.In that case also the concrete or sand may be dispensed with and thebituminous substance D employed alone.

F represents corrugations formed in the sides of the bricks or blocks.These serve to bind the bricks or blocks to one another so that nosingle brick or block can be pushed out of place or subjected topressure without the strain or part of it being felt and shared by theneighboring ones. Internal corrugations G are likewise provided in thecells or recesses B, when made to run vertically in the pavement, asalso in the grooves E (and cavities E if desired) for the purpose ofbetter retaining the material packed therein.

The brick or block shown atFig. 6 and having obliquelyrunning cells orrecesses is provided for pavements that are destined to rough usage,owing to the heavy loads drawn over them. Having the center of gravitypass obliquely through the body of the brick, its cells or recesses, andthe filling therein, will lead to better results, it is thought, than byfollowing other modes of construction. This is accomplished by cuttingthe upper and under ends or sides of the bricks orblocks to a bevel andgiving the usual curve to the pavement.

The above-described paving brick or block may be laid'on the ground inany suitable manner, but it is preferably placed upon a concrete or sandfoundation that has been well packed and leveled, as shown at Fig. 1. Itwill be observed that my improved brick or block is reversible and maytherefore .be used in at least two difierent positions, thus serving tomake a pavement that can be renovated at little cost. As the surface ofthe pavement becomes worn out, the bricks or blocks composing it maybeturned end for end or upside down, and by so doing the pavementmade asgood as new. It will be noticed also that provision being made to keepthe bituminous substance within welldefined boundaries in the bricks orblocks, the pavement will retain its shape in spite of all changes inthe weather or temperature and present a surface possessed of thevarious properties inherent to the materials entering into itscomposition.

Having described my claim, and desire to secure of the United States, is

l. A paving block consisting of a body having vertical openings, a layerof bituminous substance at the bottom of the said openings, a layer ofsand resting on said layer of bituminous substance, and a second layerof bituminous substance resting on the layer of sand and extending tothe top of the vertical open- E. A paving block provided with recessesor grooves adapted to receive a bituminous filling and havingcorrugations in the bases of said recesses or grooves.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH THOMAS MAPEL. [L. s]

Witnesses:

CHAS. R. WATSON, FRANK W. LIvINesToN.

invention, what I by Letters Patent

